It’s Customization Month on Android.Appstorm! Throughout March, we plan to share with you all our tips, tricks, apps and resources to help you improve your phone or tablet experience and make them suit your style.

Time and time again when people ask me why I prefer Android to iOS, my number one answer is, “freedom.” The freedom to customize the homescreen as you see fit, not just moving icons around, the freedom to use custom launchers, and the freedom to install apps that are not on the Play Store. And because Android has such an active developer community, that freedom increases a hundred fold when you root your device. Once you do that, you have the ability to install custom ROMs, or builds of the Android OS. That’s when things get really fun.

Who says Android has to be dull and ugly? This is a misconception that has been perpetuated since the days of the T-Mobile G1 and the first version of Android. The UI might have been basic and quite square back then, but fortunately this isn’t the case now. Thanks to the openness of the ecosystem, a slew of launchers and themes, and various mods, it is now possible to customize every single nook and cranny inside your phone.

As a matter of fact, this world of customization is the main reason I love Android and never get bored of it, even after a year of tinkering. Below, you will find an assortment of tools to help you get started, improve and even master the art of modding your Android interface.

When it comes to community-developed custom ROMs on Android, there are two contenders that you will hear people talk about a lot more than any of the rest: CyanogenMod and MIUI. I previously reviewed CyanogenMod stating 10 of its great features and 5 tricks to improve on its shortcomings.

Despite how much I loved CM7, I have decided to give MIUI a go, and have been running v1.09.16 for over seven weeks on my HTC Desire Z. In the following review, I will share with you my findings, stating the reasons I have loved MIUI and those that are making me consider going back to CyanogenMod. (more…)

MIUI is a very visually appealing ROM for Android, borrowing a vast number of aesthetic elements from iOS. If you’ve been missing (or yearning after) the look and feel of iOS, then MIUI is definitely for you. But, how does it stack up against the other options available?

I will, again, be using my HTC Desire running stock settings for this review.